


The Scars Of Yesteryear

by TheFrysh



Series: Fair Game Week 2020 [5]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Nightmares, Panic Attacks, Past Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, clover was revived using the staff, fairgameweek2020, that scene from ep12 is described briefly, why do i have a habit of mentioning ironwood for 2 seconds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-20
Updated: 2020-03-20
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:27:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23230951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheFrysh/pseuds/TheFrysh
Summary: Clover is fine. He's still alive. So why does that night still hurt so much?
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi
Series: Fair Game Week 2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1666861
Comments: 7
Kudos: 52





	The Scars Of Yesteryear

**Author's Note:**

> Day 5 of Fair Game Week: Hurt/Comfort  
> This is the one I'm most proud of and it's also the most emotional so prepare yourself.

_ A quick flash of light... _

_ A short, pained yell... _

_ A spray of blood coating the snow... _

_ The sound of metal tearing through flesh… _

Qrow woke with a start, gasping hard and putting his hand to his chest. He looked to his boyfriend sleeping safely beside him before breathing a sigh of relief.  _ It was just a dream,  _ he reasoned with himself.  _ Clover is fine. Just a bad memory. It’s not happening again. _

_ It won’t happen again. _

Qrow rose from the bed, taking care to not wake his sleeping partner. Stepping out from the bedroom and into the hallway, he stumbled as he made his way towards the kitchen. 

He flicked on the lights, rubbing his eyes to adjust to the harsh fluorescent glow. His eyes traced the countertops before landing on the neatly gift wrapped bottle of wine that Ironwood had given to the pair of them earlier that day.  _ A celebration gift to commemorate the launching of Amity Tower _ , he had explained. It hadn’t been until that moment that Qrow realized how few people he had told of his newfound sobriety. Outside of Clover and the children, he hadn’t brought up the subject much with anyone.

Qrow eyed the ornate glass bottle. The red contents looked all too similar to the tundra floor that night.  _ Fuck _ , he thought,  _ why does that night still hurt so much? Clover is fine. He made it back. The Staff brought him back to me. It made him whole again. But it was still… my fault... _

_ I just want to forget it all... _

_ Maybe one glass wouldn’t hurt… _

“Qrow?” a voice called from behind him. “Is everything all right?”

The huntsman turned to see Clover standing in the doorway, a look of deep concern plastered across his face. In his trance, Qrow hadn’t noticed that he had crossed the room and was standing mere inches from the bottle.

“Uh... yeah,” Qrow said, turning to open the cabinets. He grabbed a glass before making his way to the refrigerator and filling it with water. “Just having a little trouble sleeping is all.”

“It happened again, didn’t it?” replied the brunet, pulling out a chair at the kitchen table.

Qrow exhaled deeply. He hated feeling this way. He hated how helpless he felt. How weak he felt. How Clover must think him weak. “Yeah,” answered the older man, looking down at the glass in his hands.

“You know I told you you can talk to me about it, right? I’m always here for you.”

“I know. I just…” Qrow continued, joining Clover at the table. “I don’t want you worrying about me.”

“Hey,” Clover said, placing a hand on Qrow’s. Qrow looked up to see calm pools of teal staring back at him. “I care about you. More than anything. If I want to worry about you, that’s my decision. It’s because I want to. It’s because I love you, and I want you to feel safe around me again.”

As Qrow looked into his boyfriend’s reassuring eyes, a small smile began to curl up from the corner of his lips. But before he could respond, a lightbulb above burned out and flashed with a loud sharp pop.

_ A quick flash of light… _

Clover audibly gasped at the sound.   


_ A short, pained yell… _

Qrow’s eyes widened with fear as his mind began to race.

_ No... Not again... It can’t be happening again… _

In an instant, Qrow collapsed again. His eyes scrunched closed. His heart started beating out of his chest. He clutched his hands behind his shaking head. His entire body trembled as he let out short, erratic breaths.

“Stop! I want it to stop! Make it stop!”

“Qrow—Hey, Qrow!” Clover called, pulling his boyfriend into a deep embrace, clutching Qrow’s head to his chest. “Listen. It’s all right. I’m right here. It’s not happening again. Just breathe. Listen,” he pressed Qrow’s head closer. “I’m fine. It’s still beating, you hear that? Everything is all right.”

After a few moments, Qrow managed to slow his breathing to the cadence of Clover’s pulse pulling him to safety. He pulled his head up, returning his gaze to the Ace Op. Clover delicately brushed a tear off of Qrow’s cheek. “It’s all right, little bird. You’re safe now.”

“I just… I can’t lose you again,” Qrow sniffled. “I can’t take it. It would ruin me.” Qrow turned his head to glance at the unopened bottle still on the counter. “I just…”

“Hey,” Clover’s voice was a whisper as he caught Qrow’s mind from wandering into danger. He cupped his jaw and turned the shapeshifter back to see those garnet eyes, full of desperation. “I’m not leaving you again. I made a promise to you. I said I’d never hurt you again. I’m never gonna break that promise. Not ever.”

Was it mere seconds or was it an eternity that Qrow stared back into those eyes, he couldn’t tell. Qrow would stare forever if he could. Those beautiful, peaceful, serene eyes. Those eyes that held the secrets to the universe. Those eyes that said everything that needed to be said. Those eyes that were his safe haven away from his demons. Those eyes that loved him more than anyone or anything ever had.

Those eyes told the truth. And the truth was that Clover would be there for him. Forever.

A gentle smile began curling up Qrow’s cheek, causing the brunet to do the same. “Come on,” Clover said, lifting Qrow from his seat, wrapping one arm under his legs and the other behind his shoulders. “Let’s get you back to bed.”

**Author's Note:**

> Basically a fic drawing inspiration from [this comic](https://rosecoloredoscar.tumblr.com/post/190798526951/tw-for-clovers-death-im-just-really-soft-for?is_highlighted_post=1) as well as [this art](https://kiashie.tumblr.com/post/612036390440534016/im-here-its-still-beating#notes).


End file.
